Merry Christmas, Sam
by JenniferJF
Summary: A companion to Happy Birthday, Jack. No real spoilers. A Christmas gift to Hannah, Sam O'Neill on GW, as her Secret Santa. She wanted angst and fluff... Part two is posted. Hope you like :
1. All I Want For Christmas

A/N: This Story was written for Hannah, GW's Sam O'Neill for her Secret Santa gift. This is the first chapter. The second will be posted on 30 December 2006.. That's the real gift to a reader who is always begging for the next part… getting it two weeks before everyone else ;-)

**Merry Christmas, Sam**

**By Jennifer JF**

"Ah-hem."

Major Samantha Carter started guiltily at the sound of the familiar voice behind her. Turning to look over her shoulder, she grinned sheepishly, "Oh, hi sir."

"Carter—" Colonel Jack O'Neill began, but Sam cut him off, knowing what he was going to say.

"Please sir, don't start…. I need to get this done by the time the rest of the research team gets back after Christmas…"

"Carter," he began again patiently, "I thought you were supposed to be gone by now yourself? Didn't you have an 1800 flight out to San Diego? I'm pretty sure I remember signing your leave request myself."

Actually, if she remembered correctly, he had practically filled it out for her, insisting she take some time off over the holiday to spend with her brother Mark and his family. She hadn't had a chance to get there last Christmas, so it would have been her first Christmas with Mark since his kids were born. Which, of course, was the whole problem, but she'd be damned before she'd tell the Colonel that.

"I know sir, but then we found these artifacts on P3X-746, and I really want to get my preliminary report done before everyone else gets back…"

Now Jack's patience was clearly wearing thin. "For crying out loud, Carter, it's Christmas. Correct me if I'm wrong, but those doohickeys will all still be here after the holiday? Right?"

She nodded in reluctant agreement. "Yes, sir."

"No one should have to spend Christmas alone if they don't have to." When she nodded again, he continued, his tone far too gentle and caring for her peace of mind, "Then why are you still here?"

She opened her mouth to explain, to try to get him to understand how important this research was. Sam would never let Jack know how she couldn't bear the thought of spending Christmas with Mark and his wife and kids, of being so forcibly reminded of the things she knew she could never have because of the Air Force… and because of him.

She saw his eyes narrow as he looked at her, a hard glint darkening them as he saw past her defenses to the tears hiding in her eyes. Damn. She would rather die than hurt him. Again.

"Sir…" she pleaded, but there was nothing left to say.

Jack raised one arm slightly, reaching unconsciously for her in a forbidden gesture. He recollected himself, and the hand quickly dropped. With a sigh, he nodded. "Okay. Well… Have a Merry Christmas, Sam."

She smiled then, really smiled at him for giving her the one gift he still could. "Thank you, sir. Merry Christmas to you, too."

He nodded, looking at her for a moment before returning her smile with one of his far farer ones. Completely unaware that with her smile she had given him the one gift _she_ still could, Sam watched as Jack turned and left her alone in the lab.


	2. What Santa Brings

By the time she arrived home at her own darkened house, having driven past house after house lit-up for the holiday, Sam had made up her mind. She had been unable to keep that conversation with Jack out of her mind. He had been right, of course. She would catch an hour or so of sleep then set off in her car. She would be with her family on Christmas.

As she pulled up in front of the house, she noticed a glow coming from beneath the living room curtains. Strange, she could have sworn she'd turned off the tree before leaving that morning. She quickly entered the house and stepped into the living room. Sure enough, the tree was lit. And underneath it… Presents?

"Ya missed Santa."

Sam spun around, smiling broadly as she did so. Jack O'Neill stood in the doorway, grinning back at her. "I thought Minneapolis was snowed in." she said.

He nodded. "Yup. Did you know there are more perks to being a famous retired general than just meeting Oprah?"

She laughed, "I'd hope so!"

"Also, it turns out Santa Claus is actually a skinny grey guy about so big." Jack indicated a spot about three feet above the floor.

She laughed again, shaking her head, struck once again by how grateful she was that, despite everything, her husband had never really grown up. Thinking of which-- She glanced past him down the hall. "The kids?"

"'The children,'" he began, lowering his voice as he quoted, "'are nestled all snug in their beds.'-- Although," he interrupted his own recitation as a confused look crossed his features, "I seriously doubt they're dreaming of Sugar Plums. What are Sugar Plums, anyway?"

He had paused expectantly. "Well, actually, they're…" she began the old joke, then stopped laughing as Jack cut her off with a gesture.

"Rhetorical, Carter!"

"Ah, yes sir." She came to attention, making Jack laugh in turn. She stepped towards him, looking up into brown eyes dancing with merriment. "You know, Jack, we must have had the same thought. I was planning on driving up to be with you guys tomorrow."

"Really?"

She nodded up at him. "Uh-huh. I remembered what a very wise man once told me."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Do I know him?"

She ignored him, unwilling to change the subject. "Do you remember that Christmas, oh -- over ten years ago now -- that you tried to talk me into spending with Mark and his family instead of alone in my lab?"

"Well, Carter, it is sorta hard… There were so _many_…" When she scowled at him instead of laughing, he continued more seriously, nodding as he looked straight into her eyes. "Yeah, I do."

She smiled, but knew that this time there was more sadness than genuine joy in the gesture. "You were right, Jack. No one should ever have to spend Christmas alone."

They stood silently for several moments, gazes locked, trapped together in the past before, typically, Jack broke the mood with a sly grin. "Wow, Carter, I really was _wise_!"

She shook her head, laughing as she batted him lightly on the chest. "Smart ass."

"That's why you love me." She nodded, still smiling, and he opened his arms to her. "C'mere, sweetheart."

She stepped into his arms, and he pulled her close, the warm solid feel of him against her pushing painful memories back where they belonged. "Merry Christmas, Sam," he murmured into her hair.

"Merry Christmas, Jack." And, since being together as a family really was the best gift Santa could bring, it really was a Merry Christmas for them all.


End file.
